Jim Bakker Dies at 86, Ending Career Marked by PTL Fame and Fraud Conviction
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Oct 6
Jim Bakker Dies at 86, Ending Career Marked by PTL Fame and Fraud Conviction
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 6
Summary
Lori Bakker said the televangelist died Monday at 86; no cause was given, though he had suffered a stroke in 2020.
Bakker built "The PTL Club" into a 1980s religious TV powerhouse that drew millions of viewers and millions of dollars, alongside the Heritage USA theme park ministry.
His empire collapsed in 1987 after he admitted a sexual encounter with church clerk Jessica Hahn, and a 1988 investigation led to fraud and conspiracy convictions.
A 45-year federal sentence was later cut to 8 years, and Bakker was released on parole in 1995 before returning to broadcasting with "The Jim Bakker Show."
His later years still drew scrutiny: in 2021, he and Morningside Church Productions settled claims over COVID-19 cure allegations with $156,000 in refunds.